A lot of riders might know Kona for its mountain bikes, there is plenty of bikes in its line up for all kinds of on-the-road adventures. Check out this trip to London with Kona’s long time designer, Dr. Dew and some friends.

The folks at GT Bicycles recently approached me with a challenge: ride the new GT Traffic 1.0 day in and day out and share my impressions and feedback. Well… challenge accepted.

The Traffic 1.0 is at the top of a three-bike line of multi-purpose, sporty hybrids from GT, each with disc brakes and aluminum frames featuring the trademark Triple Triangle. In fact, all of the brand’s new pavement bikes sport disc brakes, a decision that we can whole-heartedly endorse.

Nothing on the Traffic 1.0 is revolutionary, but it represents an evolved example of an all-purpose bike. The Shimano 3×8 drivetrain has more gears than I really need around town, but people buy the bikes they want, not the bikes they need. The Acera shifters and Altus derailleurs shift crisply and easily.

The frame features a full compliment of fender and rack mounts, and the bike even comes with a set of full-coverage fenders and a bell. The struts were a little short on the front fender so I had to attach them to the mid-fork eyelets, but they work fine mounted there.

Rather than a flat or riser bar, the Traffic has a slightly backswept handlebar to keep you in a more comfortable position. It’s not as swept back as a cruiser but still gives a bit more control to the forward, poised rider position.

The Shimano hydraulic brakes are great for dodging inattentive drivers and bombing hills. The levers are more than long enough for two-finger braking, though one finger is all you need.

Keeping you rolling (likely without flats) are the 700×35 Schwalbe Road Cruiser tires with puncture protection and reflective sidewalls. The Schrader valves on the tubes aren’t as nice as Presta valve tubes but they are less expensive if you ever do flat.

So far, the Traffic 1.0 and I are getting along great. With an MSRP of $660 it’s nice to know you don’t have to break the bank to find a quality bike that’s fun to ride.

Watch for a full, long-term review of the GT Traffic 1.0 in an upcoming issue of Bicycle Times. Order a subscription now to make sure you don’t miss it!